Creativity.
The studio feels normal again. After the retro-fit interruption and the gallery show and assessing what to do next — I feel busy and engaged. Right now I’m working on a six-piece figure series (a second round of Isaiah drawings), i’ve completed the eight drawings — time to start painting — for a commissioned piece (the Gabe series), I’ve negotiated a potential second commissioned site-specific piece (J&S) — it is harder to work for two people who have different ideas — and booked a model — a very nice person — for this week with the objective of scaling up — making bigger — my current abstract figurative work.
By the end of this week I’ll have more than enough to do and a number of new challenges.
Going to work on the second Isaiah series has been instructive about how difficult it is to both hold on and let go. I’m struggling again with my attempt to have a “style” and, at the same time, be inspired by different models. Uniqueness within a set of parameters. And using the same model a second time — am I just going further in my “study” of him or is this something different? The conversations with the canvases have been robust. Visual expectations are my current nemesis. There is a lot going on in my brain.
As a break from visual conversations I’ve been continuing to research on other artists and theories about creative expression. I came across a scientific explanation of creativity that spoke directly to me. As the human brain evolved — grew bigger — there was more space between the input parts of the brain and the output parts. In most animals they are pretty close — see food/eat food — not a lot of room for analysis. The increased distance of these input/output centers in the human brain gives time for information (cognitive or experiential) to wander about for a bit and create new pathways or new connections so new responses can arrive.
Creativity depends on varying input (knowledge and inspiration), a sense of purpose and need (problem solving), building on work done by others or from previous work of your own (re-conceiving), and nurturing the space between.
it makes sense. These are basic tenants in my work process. It is nice to have them reinforced.
Lots to do.